Midwife Center for Birth and Womens Health

I have been a client of the Midwife Center since 2011, when I had my first child there. I had been unhappy with the care I was receiving from my doctor and decided to explore my options. I have never been so happy with my decision to switch to the Midwife Center! The midwives make you feel as if you are important and not just another patient. They take the time to get to know you and your family and to try to help you have the birth you envision. I had a beautiful natural birth and plan to do the same, if I am lucky, again this coming June 2013, when our second baby is due. I will continue to see the midwives for my well-woman care after this pregnancy also. I cannot emphasize how important it is to have a center like this available as an option to women in Western Pennsylvania.

While pregnant with my fourth baby, I was with an OB/GYN practice who told me "so that's your last baby, right?"! Wow, that's when I realized I needed to find someone who would see pregnancy and birth like I did -- as a blessing. I became a client of TMC and had my fourth and fifth babies with them, and will be having my sixth baby there, as well, in the spring! The midwives and nurses are absolutely top-notch -- especially during delivery. I got to experience natural childbirths at TMC and they empowered me all the way through the throes of delivery. I felt like a million bucks after I just delivered my babies! Only at TMC can someone say that!

I have been with the midwives for all post-birth years for "well-woman" care. The healthcare is a partnership between my healthcare provider and me; it is a care that is respectful, supportive and quality. I am thankful to have this option.

I have been a patient at TMC since 2007 when I became pregnant with our first child. At my first OB-GYN appointment, I found that all of my questions about the things that were important to me were not priorities with that model of care. I found TMC after a quick search online for midwives in the area and transferred to their practice. At the initial meeting, I found that this model of care more than exceeds the priorities I have, and gave me a few more to add to my list! I have now had two amazing pregnancies and births with them and am joyously in the middle of pregnancy number three. I have learned so much from the midwives, "my" midwives, about my body and all of the amazing things that it does while "making a baby from scratch," as one told me during my first pregnancy. I love going to my prenatal appointments and the annual well-woman appointments in the years in between because it gives me a chance to visit the place where I first met my babies and also to visit the wonderful women who helped guide me in the process.

I found out about the Midwife Center from a friend and became a patient there in 2011. Before I even had my first official appointment, I suspected I was having a miscarriage and called the Center. They saw me right away and were so helpful and kind through such a tough situation. The atmosphere of the center is comfortable, the classes are fun and educational and the Midwives take time with mothers (and fathers!) so we can make our own educated decisions. I have since had a healthy baby with their help and care and will be back for future pregnancies!

I'm a client who recently became a board member due to my passion for The Midwife Center. I had my first baby at TMC in the fall of 2011 and plan to have my next baby there in May 2013. In my opinion, there is no better place for woman care. The people are amazing, the facilities are warm and welcoming, and the care is top notch. If you were hesitant before, be hesitant no more! You can't go wrong!

I've been a client of The Midwife Center for almost 10 years now. They've provided well-woman care and supported me through three miscarriages and three beautiful, incredible, empowering natural births. The midwives and staff are thorough, compassionate, and never fail to take the time to really listen. They treat the whole woman, not just the condition that has brought her there. They encourage clients to be active participants in their own health care. I strongly recommend The Midwife Center to any woman who is interested in having options in childbirth. I can't imagine going anywhere else, and I hope they are still going strong when my own daughters reach their childbearing years.

The Midwife Center has nurtured our family in so many ways. From the our very first visit (when expecting our second child) we were impressed by the caring attentive way we were treated by the midwives. We have delivered three of our four children with them. They always listened to my concerns as a mother and as a woman and have done their best to guide me in decisions, and not decide for me. The facility itself is wonderful as well. We delivered one of our babies in the forest room and it is one of my fondest memories. I felt so safe and supported and comfortable while laboring and delivering. Another thing I always tell people when recommending the Center is how friendly and respectful the front office staff are. They are friendly and make you feel welcome.

I can't say enough about the amazing experiences my husband and I have had with The Midwife Center. After having transferred to The Midwife Center from an OB practice around my 32nd week of pregnancy, we were astonished at the difference in care. I felt like a person. I was treated with respect and dignity. When my questions were being answered, I knew they were being answered honestly, and each midwife patiently met with my husband and me to address concerns. The care there is top-notch and birthing there, in the Ocean Room, was one of the best experiences of my life. I would absolutely recommend the Midwife Center to any woman looking for general care, as well as those seeking care during and after pregnancy.

I have been coming to the Midwife Center for 4 years since I became pregnant with my first child. I've been extremely happy with the care I've received there. The midwives, nurses and staff have always been helpful, friendly and caring. I always felt that I was being educated on what my options are and given freedom to choose or deny certain treatments, tests and procedures with informed consent. I had two wonderful births at the birth center where I was supported and empowered to give birth naturally. I am recommend the Midwives to anyone who is pregnant or looking for something outside of the OB/GYN model for birth or well woman care.

I have had 3 babies in the hospital with an OB/GYN. When I found out I was pregnant with my 4th, I decided I needed a change. I needed care provider to know my name, someone I could feel comfortable asking questions to. I needed a better birth experience. The midwife center did all of that and so much more. They were very attentive before, during and after birth. I delivered at the midwife center and I wish I would have delivered all of my babies there. Thank you for all that you have done!

Having services catering to the whole woman during pregnancy is so important. I learned more about my health during care under them than ever before in my life. For once, someone took the time to listen to me and what I thought about my body. They believed in me and help me believe in myself. I was one of the rarer cases that ended in emergency delivery, and they helped me come to terms with and accept how things happened. They laughed and cried with me. They held my hand. When my husband was exhausted after our first night with our first baby, they brushed my hair. When traditional care was out of reach, and even when I couldn't afford services, they were there. Sometimes I wonder if I would be as confident a mother and woman without having had them in my life. Thank you from Jennifer, JT, Lauren and Sera Thompson.

The well-woman care at TMC is by far the most positive and comprehensive care that I have received from a women's health practice. My questions were met with patience and answered thoroughly, and full attention was given to me during my appointment. The center's environment was safe, comfortable and relaxing, and the staff was extremely warm and welcoming. I have since recommended TMC to my friends for their well-woman care, and will continue to do so.

During my first pregnancy I was seeing a OB-GYN group up until my 32nd week of pregnancy. The largest part of my pregnancy was spent in their service and the largest part of my pregnancy was spent in worry, stress, anxiety, and fear. Firstly the front staff was always rude and ill-tempered. The waits to get into a room were never less than 30 minutes and the wait after I got into the room pretty much matched that. The time that was spent with the doctor or nurse practitioner was then limited to maybe 10 minutes - and that's being generous. It was noted in my files (which I was never allowed to see) that I was planning a natural pregnancy and every doctor or nurse practitioner that met with me during appointments was apprehensive about my ability to go through with a natural pregnancy and pushed the option of drugs more than the strive to strengthen me. After my last appointment, when I could no longer take the rude, condescending, and patronizing words from this OB-GYN group that I finally made my first appointment with The Midwife Center. This is when my pregnancy turned. Every single staff member I met was kind, explanatory, soft-spoken, easy-going, and encouraging. The entire atmosphere and means of care is far different from that of the OB-GYN environment. Your care with The Midwife Center includes: an orientation of midwives and the center; an hour long first appointment to thoroughly go over health history, expectations, questions, concerns, etc.; 24-hour call service to the midwife on call; a sit-down with the head of billing to explain how your benefits work and the funds you can expect to pay (which is great since insurance companies tend to be confusing); classes through TMC; use of the birth center for birthing; or you also have the option of delivering at Mercy hospital (who also has fantastic employees) and you will still have the same midwife with you during your entire labor. Bringing us to the labor, it was far beyond my expectations. I delivered in The Desert Room at the center which was a much more relaxed environment than being in a sterile hospital room. I never had to deal with shift rotations and new faces because I was attended by the same midwife and the same nurse from the time I got there to the time I checked out - and one of them was always in the room with me. They would massage me through my contractions, offer me juice or water after each contraction, encourage food to sustain energy, and they are accommodating to any position of birthing you'd like. The latter was such a relief because laying on the bed in any position caused so much pain in my lower back that a hospital birth which does not allow standing/walking would have made my labor excruciating. One of the other advantages of delivering at the birth center was that I got to use the Jacuzzi tub. Research shows that warm water is second best in relieving contraction pain next to an epidural, and it really did the job. I spent the last two hours of painful contractions in the tub and it helped ease the pain. When the time finally did come for the baby's arrival, I felt calm, confident, and ready - a feeling that can only come from supportive caregivers and birthing partners - and the midwife center is all about supporting YOUR vision in your pregnancy and delivery. After it was all said and done, the baby and I were both completely healthy, I experienced no tears, and the process was smooth, empowering, and beautiful. The best choice I made was choosing The Midwife Center for the rest of my pregnancy care, and now that I am going through my second pregnancy, I am receiving the same service from them again. This center is great for any woman who wants support and an upper hand in her pregnancy experience. The midwives support your vision and are always there for advice and best-practice. I could never, ever, ever recommend them enough for prenatal or gynecological services.

I am expecting my first child and felt uncomfortable with the OB-GYN my husband and I had met with when we wanted to conceive. After hours of searching for a new practitioner, I came across the Midwife Center. I was unsure at first because I had never considered using a midwife before. After our first appointment everything changed. My husband and I fell in love with the Midwife Center and proudly tell everyone about our experiences with them. The midwives are so caring and compassionate and they work through everything with you. No question is ignored and they have helped me work through fears about pregnancy and birth. I would recommend them to anyone and look forward to a nurturing natural birth in their Birth Center.

We had our son this past March with TMC. We were impressed with them from day one! The midwives never made us feel rushed during an appointment and always answered any questions we had. They were amazing during the birth of our son as well - the birth didn't go as we had hoped, but they were with us every step of the way, were encouraging, and respectful. We'll definitely be using them again for future pregnancies. We'd highly recommend them to anyone expecting!

The Midwife Center is a wonderful place! As a current Board member, I want to help sustain and expand the services that the Midwife Center (TMC) provides so that other couples can experience this wonderful place to bring their child into the world. After 2 births with the midwives, my husband and I have never experienced a more caring and nuturing medical environment than the center. The midwives empower women to be involved in their medical care decisions. They cater to the wants and needs of each individual. They listen and they care and as a result they have amazing outcomes.

The Midwife Center has been such a gift to our family. Our first daughter was born there in 2005, a second joined in 2008, and we will welcome our third baby girl sometime this winter. I am a person who has never felt comfortable in a doctor's office and is generally terrified of hospitals. It came as a surprise then that I actually enjoyed my appointments at the Midwife Center and have nothing but good things to say about my two births at the center.

The midwives are truly compassionate caregivers. I am thrilled that their care extends to women who are uninsured so that all can have the benefit of their time and care. Much of the midwife model of individual attention and education has carried over as we parent our daughters. Even as I struggled with nursing my first daughter I felt supported and equipped because of the midwives' care. This is a dynamic organization that is always looking for ways to better serve clients and offer their services to the community. They have really grown and extended their services since our first appointment in 2005, but the time and care that they have for each client remains unchanged.